Post-consumer PET and HDPE prices remain stable

Guest Authors

5 years ago

Plastics Recycling Markets

The price of natural HDPE seems to have leveled out at a historically low level, falling only 0.6% over the past month.

The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars remains constant at 15.42 cents per pound. Last month, the average trading price was 15.54 cents per pound. This time last year, PET was trading at an average of 17.11 cents per pound.

The price of post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs decreased this past month. The national average price is now 20.72 cents per pound, compared with 20.84 cents this time last month. One year ago, the national average for this grade was 37.69 cents per pound. By comparison, highs of 52.69 cents per pound occurred in October 2014.

Meanwhile, the national average price of color HDPE dropped slightly over the past month, now trading at 12.91 cents per pound. Last month, the national average was 13.75 cents per pound. One year ago, this grade was trading at 14.25 cents per pound.

The average price of post-consumer polypropylene is now 12.25 cents per pound, compared with 9.81 cents per pound this time last year.

The national average price of Grade A film is down 14% this past month, now trading at 11 cents per pound, compared with 12.81 cents per pound last month. This grade traded at 11.72 cents per pound one year ago.

Grade B film remains constant at 4.25 cents per pound.

Grade C film is still trading at a nominal 1.38 cents per pound.

These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing (SMP) Index. This pricing represents what is being paid for post-consumer recyclable materials in a sorted, baled format, picked up at most major recycling centers.

For a free trial to SMP’s Online Post-Consumer Pricing Index, visit the Recycling Markets website. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or 330-956-8911.

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